Barnsley manager Darrell Clarke singled out Kelechi Nwakali for praise following his side’s hard-fought 2-1 win over Exeter City in a League One encounter at St James Park at the weekend.
With Adam Phillips unavailable for selection due to suspension, the 2015 Fifa U17 World Cup winner with the Golden Eaglets was named in Barnsley’s starting lineup for his first start in the English Football League One.
Previously, Nwakali had played in four league matches as a substitute before the trip to Devon.
The central midfielder had impressed in previous cameo appearances before getting the chance to showcase his abilities, playing the full ninety minutes on his full debut against Exeter City.
Operating in a deep-lying midfield role, Nwakali delivered an outstanding display, highlighted by a spectacular long-range strike three minutes after the break to bring the score to 1-1.
Speaking to Barnsley media after the game, Clarke noted that Nwakali had problems with his fitness after joining the club, having missed the whole of pre-season preparations, but he’s now showing significant improvement.
Assessing the performance of Nwakali, he stated: “Kelechi played really well. I have been really happy with his development since he came into the club.
“Obviously, chasing him with getting his fitness levels up, now you’re starting to see him a lot fitter, a lot sharper. We know the talent he’s got, technically.”
Before his League One starting debut, Nwakali had been included in the starting lineup for two matches in the EFL Trophy and one in the FA Cup.
